Best board games 2021:

What to buy and play

right now
Add something new to your shelf from
our pick of the greatest tabletop titles.
Alex Meehan 7 May, 2021

There's a lot of incredible board games out there, from

bouncing party games to intense battles of wits with
those close to you. To help you find your next game night
mainstay, we’ve curated a list of the best board games
available to buy and play right now. Regardless of genre,
player count, theme or mechanics, these are the best
board games that we think deserve a spot on anyone’s
shelf.
Read on to find some of the best board games for sale
right now, of all genres, types and lengths. Whatever
you're looking for, you're bound to find something you can
enjoy in our list below.

Best board games 2021

Azul
Cosmic Encounter
The Crew
Wingspan
Gloomhaven
Codenames
Root
Pandemic Legacy: Season 0
The Resistance: Avalon
Eldritch Horror

With the number of quality tabletop tiles increasing

year by year, this list will be periodically updated to
include newer examples of excellent board games,
remaining a solid indication of what’s worth getting
your hands on at the moment. Luckily enough, all of
these games are widely available, having seen
multiple reprints and a healthy amount of stock at
various outlets. With that said, let’s take a look at
some of the best board games available in 2021.

1. Azul
Can you create the most beautiful mosaic and
score the largest amount of points?

Players use solid plastic tiles of different patterns to make their mosiacs.

If you’re new to board games, sometimes the best

place to start is with something that teaches its
players some fundamentals of tabletop gaming. Azul
is a perfect beginner board game because it doesn’t
give players an awfully large amount of elements to
manage, but still requires them to pay attention and
think a few steps ahead.

The setting for the game is a little on the dry side -

players are artists creating mosaics for the Portugese
monarch King Manuel I - but there are certainly other
board games with far duller themes than this one. In
terms of gameplay, Azul sees players taking turns to
choose tiles from a shared pool before placing them
onto their mosaic. Each round, tiles are taken from
the bag and randomly distributed onto factory
boards. Whenever a player wants to take tiles from a
certain factory, they must take all the tiles of the
same colour. These tiles are then placed in a row of
the player’s choice next to their mosaic, with the aim
being to completely fill the row and add the matching
tile to their wall.

If players are clever with how they align their coloured

tiles, they can score points by making certain
patterns or collecting certain sets. Whichever player
has the most points by the end of the final round is
the game’s winner. Azul moves really quickly, has a
very accessible set of rules and yet still has the
potential to challenge even the most seasoned
players. This beautiful tile-laying board game is an
absolute must for any tabletop gamer.

Watch on YouTube

Buy Azul from Amazon US and Amazon UK.

2. Cosmic Encounter

Make and break alliances to dominate the galaxy

in this weird and wonderful sci-fi game

Cosmic Encounter's universe is filled with fascinating species.

Originally created way back in 1977, Cosmic

Encounter has since been revitalised for the modern
era - and it’s not hard to see why. In a similar fashion
to fellow classic Diplomacy, Cosmic Encounter sees
players making temporary alliances to further their
own ambitions, with the aim of the game being to
control as much territory as possible. However,
Cosmic Encounter provides a much more exciting
experience than Diplomacy ever could, thanks to its
collection of weird and wonderful alien species.

Rather than controlling warring nations, the sci-fi

game has players commanding fleets of spaceships
representing an ambitious alien empire. These
spaceships can be used to invade other players’
planets, with a stand-off between the involved
parties determining whether the original owner
retains their control. Playing friendly with your
opponents and convincing them to send some of
their own spaceships to help you attack or defend
can give you a significant advantage during the
game. However, the different powers held by each
species means that players might give certain
alliances a second thought. There are a huge variety
of species in Cosmic Encounter and, whilst some
have fairly unremarkable abilities, others are
decidedly more wild. (For example, the Loser species
needs to lose the entire game in order to win.)

This is exactly what makes Cosmic Encounter so

special. If you’re not a fan of randomness or
unbalanced elements, it’s unlikely that you’re going to
get along with this game. However, if you enjoy board
games with incredibly strong themes and some goofy
mechanics, then Cosmic Encounter is an excellent
choice for any groups with larger player counts and a
taste for chaos.

Buy Cosmic Encounter from Amazon US and Amazon

UK.

3. The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

Complete a series of space missions without

saying a word in this unusual co-op card game

Cards need to be played at the right times for players to pass each mission
successfully.

The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is a trick-taking

card game; players take turns to play cards during a
round, with the winner of each round - or ‘trick’ -
being whoever played the highest card of the suit
first played or that round’s trump suit. Usually, trick-
taking games are a competitive affair. However, The
Crew stands out as a co-op experience.

The Crew goes one step further and combines its co-
op trick-taking with enforced silence. While playing,
players are forbidden from communicating in any way
outside of specific in-game methods. This might
seem a bit odd, but it makes perfect sense when you
consider that The Crew is a game about astronauts
completing missions in space - and in space, no-one
can hear you… at all. Each mission in The Crew has
players fulfilling certain requirements, whether that’s
winning tricks with a certain card or playing cards in a
particular order. A little like that other co-op card
game, The Mind, players in The Crew must use their
natural intuition to judge the right time to play certain
cards.

Unlike in The Mind, luck is less of a factor in The

Crew. With fewer cards in play, players can better
judge the best time to play by observing what’s in the
discard pile and what’s currently in their hand.
Successfully completing a mission in The Crew is a
beautiful thing, and even the most inexperienced of
players will soon find themselves witnessing that
wonderful moment of victory.

Watch on YouTube

Buy The Crew: Quest for Planet Nine from Amazon

US and Amazon UK.
4. Wingspan

A relaxing board game about appreciating birdlife

The artwork for Wingspan is breathtakingly beautiful.

Wingspan proves that not all board games need to

feature thrilling chases, epic shootouts or tense
stand-offs. Sometimes, there’s nothing better than
kicking back and feeding a few birds once in a while,
which is exactly what Wingspan is about. Packed
with fascinating facts about fowls, Wingspan sees
players attempting to coax a litany of feathered
friends into their chosen habitats. Known as an
engine-building game - in which players gain and
upgrade actions designed to combo with one another
- Wingspan is an especially satisfying game to play
thanks to its accessible but deep gameplay
mechanics.

Players have three habitats they can place birds into,

with each habitat having its own associated action. In
order to attract birds, players need to pay the right
amount of food by rolling and selecting dice results
from the bird feeder. Playing bird cards into your
habitats doesn’t just get you points - depending upon
the value of the bird - but can also produce bonus
effects that can lead to obtaining more points. Each
of the game’s three rounds has its own random
bonus that grants players points if they successfully
fulfill its requirements. You can also gain points by
having the birds in your habitat lay eggs.

Once you get into the flow of playing Wingspan,

there’s nothing better than taking an action and
having that action lead perfectly into the next action -
which is the true joy of engine-building games.
Wingspan isn’t just a delight to look at, it’s a pleasure
to play, making it one of the best board games out
there regardless of your ornithological knowledge .

Buy Wingspan from Amazon US and Amazon UK.

5. Gloomhaven

Become immersed in an epic world filled with

quests, danger and treasure
Gloomhaven comes with miniatures for each of the different characters players
can control.

Fantasy-themed board games are a dime-a-dozen,

but there’s something special about Gloomhaven.
Perhaps because it skillfully straddles the line
between roleplaying game and board game? Or
maybe it’s the ability to take on a variety of different
quests at any one time? It could even be the world’s
dark tone and oppressive atmosphere. For these
reasons and more, Gloomhaven instantly captured
the hearts and minds of the tabletop gaming
community when it released in 2017, and it continues
to captivate audiences almost four years after its
launch.

The game sees players becoming adventurers

seeking their next big job in the city of Gloomhaven,
taking on various quests that take them into
dungeons invested with - what else? - hordes of
monsters. As players explore the game’s world they’ll
encounter scenarios where they’ll have to make
narrative decisions as a group, with the potential to
change the direction of the story. When talking isn’t
an option, players will have to work together to fight
whatever enemies block their path. Gloomhaven’s
combat has players taking turns to play cards to
perform their character’s actions, with each
character having their own unique set of abilities and
playstyle.

Being able to make choices - whether inside or

outside of combat - is quite possibly what makes
Gloomhaven most appealing to its players. The
world-building is undoubtedly impressive, the
combat system is challenging and the loot is certainly
desirable. But it’s the freedom to make decisions that
makes Gloomhaven feel like such an epic co-op
experience.

Buy Gloomhaven from Amazon US and Amazon UK.

6. Codenames

Clue your teammates into picking the right words

in this beloved party game
The clue-giver should help their teammates to avoid picking cards that aren't
theirs.

Combine espionage with word interpretation and you

get Codenames, a party board game that sees
players becoming spies attempting to secretly
communicate with their fellow agents. Codenames
works because it’s incredibly simple on the surface,
but there’s plenty of potential to get really clever with
it. Players are split into two teams, each with their
own clue-giver at the helm. The clue-givers then take
it in turns to provide their fellow team members with a
one-word clue that relates to the word cards laid out
on the table.

These word cards are arranged in a grid, with both

clue-givers having access to a card that shows which
of the word cards each team needs to guess
correctly in order to win. The clue-givers can attempt
to connect as many word cards as they can with their
clue, but they must make it clear how many word
cards they’re referring to whenever they voice their
clue. Once they’ve received their clue, the guessers
must select which word cards they think relates to
the clue one at a time. If a team ever guesses a word
card they’re not supposed to, their turn ends
instantly - with the potential to hand a point or even
instant victory to their opponents.

Codenames is an undeniably accessible board game.

Its rules are straightforward and there are no
challenging barriers for less experienced players.
However, it’s definitely a game that’s more enjoyable
to play with people you know. Giving what should be
a nonsense clue, only to share a knowing look with
one or more of your teammates, is truly a wonderful
thing and a major part of what makes Codenames
such a great game.

Watch on YouTube
Buy Codenames from Amazon US and Amazon UK.

7. Root

Ally yourself with one of four possible factions in

this epic asymmetric board game

Root comes with a collection of charming little wooden components

representing each faction.

Root is a prime example of how modern board games

have made deep strategy more approachable than
their predecessors. It’s far from the simplest tabletop
experience out there, taking a few playthroughs to
really get to grips with. However, Root’s unusual
theme, surprisingly engaging lore and variety of
gameplay styles has made it a very popular board
game for people who like to test their minds - and
rivalries.

Root presents a world in which four factions - the

Marquise de Cat, Eyrie, Woodland Alliance and
Vagabond - are butting heads with one another over
who gets to control the Great Forest. Each of the four
factions provide players with a completely different
approach - both ideologically and gameplay-wise.
For example, the Marquise de Cat is all about mass
production and dominance, meaning that whichever
player takes control of the faction can expect to be
tackling resource management and area control.
Whereas the Woodland Alliance is more invested in
recruitment schemes and protests, requiring the
player controlling them to think carefully about unit
placement and building toward crucial board actions.

The process of learning the ins-and-outs of each

faction makes Root such an engrossing board game
to play. With every game of Root your knowledge and
understanding of your chosen faction improves
tenfold, to the point wherein you’re anticipating each
move in advance - which is an incredibly satisfying
feeling. For a game that tests and rewards in equal
measure, consider giving Root a try.

Buy Root from Amazon US and Amazon UK.

8. Pandemic Legacy: Season 0

Experience the finale - and origins - of one of the

most well-regarded tabletop series in modern
history
The various components included in Season 0 make it easy for players to get
immersed in its world.

The year is 1962. The world is in the grips of the Cold

War. A team of special operatives find themselves
caught in the crossfire between the US and the
Soviet Union. This is the stage that Pandemic Legacy:
Season 0 sets for its players: a battle of subterfuge
and secrets where the world is under threat from a
rumoured bioweapon created by Soviet scientists.

Starting with Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 in 2015,

many of the series’ features, such as having players
permanently alter the game’s board and cards, are
now considered defining aspects of legacy board
games. Season 0 is the last entry in the trilogy and
despite staying true to the fundamentals of the series
- travel around the world to complete objectives
before too many outbreaks or an empty player deck
cause the game to end - it manages to introduce
plenty of new aspects, particularly when it comes to
theme and story. Season 1 and 2 both had elements
of storytelling to them, but they weren’t the primary
focus of the experience. In his review of the game,
Matt argued that the story and characters of Season
0 - a prequel to the previous games - are arguably
the main draw to the game and make it incredibly
easy to get invested in the adventures of the players’
chosen spies.

As players progress through each month of the co-op

board game, they’ll find themselves having to make
decisions that affect the narrative of their particular
playthrough. Having the power to change the
direction of Season 0’s plot gives players a real sense
of agency, making them care about the fate of the
game beyond just winning or losing. With players
able to start the game without even having played the
first two, it’s also a potential jumping-off point for
your legacy game experience.

Buy Pandemic Legacy: Season 0 from Amazon US

and Amazon UK.

9. The Resistance: Avalon

Root out the traitors in your midst and save the

kingdom from evil forces
Each side in Avalon has its own selection of roles that can provide players with a
unique ability to use.

Inspired by Arthurian myths and legends, The

Resistance: Avalon is a social deduction game set
during medieval England, where players become key
members of the king’s roundtable. It’s up to the
players on the side of good to find and stop the
sorcerer Modred’s various allies and minions from
causing the downfall of the kingdom.

Though all players may present themselves as being

noble knights of valour, at least some of these people
will be lying about their real identities. Whilst players
on the side of good will be attempting to carry out
King Arthur’s requests, the traitors will be attempting
to sabotage their opponents in secret. Each round of
Avalon sees players voting on the current leader’s
choice of companions, with the chosen team
deciding whether the task at hand will succeed or fail.
If the majority agrees with the leader’s choices, the
participating players secretly choose to play a
succeed or fail card, with the fate of the mission
resting on the shoulders of the group.

Three successes and the good side win. Three

failures and the evil side is victorious. Each side has a
selection of role cards with unique powers, such as
Merlin - who has the ability to correctly identify
Modred’s agent, but is forced to speak in riddles
throughout the whole game. What makes Avalon
work really well as a social deduction game is that it
doesn’t drag because players have a set item to vote
on - who’s going on the mission - and can acquire
information through the result of these missions,
making it an ideal pick for large groups with little
patience.

Buy The Resistance: Avalon from Amazon US and

Amazon UK.

10. Eldritch Horror

Embark on an epic journey as a group of

investigators intent on saving the world
The world of Eldritch Horror is as fascinating as it is disgusting and terrifying.

There are a lot of board games inspired by the

Cthulhu Mythos, but Eldritch Horror stands out as
one of the best. A co-op game for one to eight
players, Eldritch Horror provides its players with a
truly epic experience as they globetrot their way
across the world - and beyond - in search of clues to
solve a series of mysteries. Players in Eldritch Horror
can choose between a host of different characters,
each with their own unique set of skills and
backstories, whom they’ll pilot through seedy
backend streets, freezing tundras, hidden temples
and alternative dimensions.

Depending on which Old One you decide to face,

you’ll have to solve a number of mysteries before the
game’s doom track reaches zero and the god
awakens - with apocalyptic results. Mysteries are
solved by collecting a certain number of clues, before
 successfully completing a unique event. At the end of
each player’s turn, the group must carry out the
mythos stage - which sees the Old One spreading
chaos across the world by spawning monster-
spewing gates, recruiting cultists or enacting its will
in equally awful ways. Take too many hits or fail too
many skill checks, and players can expect to see their
characters suffer or even be removed from the game
entirely.

Eldritch Horror draws its players in by making them

feel like the plucky underdogs who continue to chase
a seemingly small speck of hope. Despite the threat
of beasts, cultists and incomprehensible beings, the
players’ characters continue to struggle on to find
that next clue or acquire that next valuable piece of
equipment. This feeling does a lot to help keep
players invested in a game of Eldritch Horror -
ensuring that they won’t forget their experience with
it anytime soon.

Buy Eldritch Horror from Amazon US and Amazon

UK.

Alex Meehan

Staff Writer

Alex’s journey to Dicebreaker began with writing insightful

video game coverage for outlets such as Kotaku,
Waypoint and PC Gamer. Her unique approach to
analysing pop culture and knack for witty storytelling
finally secured her a forever home producing news,
features and reviews with the Dicebreaker team. She’s
also obsessed with playing Vampire: The Masquerade,
and won’t stop talking about it.